Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says his players must stand for the national anthem.
OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, no stranger to speaking his mind and creating controversy, on Wednesday added fuel to an already confusing and rancorous debate about how the NFL plans to handle players who demonstrate during the playing of the national anthem this season.
At the opening of the Cowboys’ training camp in Oxnard, Calif., Jones said that all his team’s players would be required to stand on the field for the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner. They would not be able to stay in the team’s locker room, something allowed under the league’s revised policy on the anthem.
“Our policy is you stand during the anthem, toe the line,” Jones told reporters.
Jones added that President Donald Trump’s tweets criticizing the league’s handling of the players who protest had been “problematic” for the NFL.
Jones’ comments came as the league and NFL Players Association continue to discuss how to revise the anthem policy yet again.
In May, the owners unilaterally said that players would be obligated to stand on the field for the national anthem but would have the option of staying indoors. The league reserved the right to fine teams whose players protest on the field during the anthem, while the teams, in turn, can penalize those players.
Previously, players were obligated to be on the field during the anthem, but only encouraged, not forced, to stand while the song was being played.
The new rules effectively allows each team to treat the anthem policy as it sees fit. Chris Johnson, chief executive of the New York Jets, said he would not penalize players who protested. San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said essentially the same thing.
Among the 32 owners, Jones has been the loudest proponent of forcing all players to stand for the anthem, and his comments Wednesday were the clearest suggestion yet that he intends to penalize players who do not follow his policy.
Officials with the NFL had no comment on Jones’ remarks. George Atallah, chief spokesman for the players’ union, declined to comment.
Jones’ remarks complicate the already thorny negotiations between the league and union. Earlier this month, the union filed a grievance, saying the league violated the collective bargaining agreement when it unilaterally imposed a new anthem policy.
The two sides are now trying to find a way to amend the policy so that the league can win the backing of the union. The league said last week it would suspend the new policy for a few weeks while it tries to work things out with the union.
Jets’ Robinson suspended
Jets cornerback Rashard Robinson has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Robinson was arrested and charged with drug possession and carelessly driving in Morris County, New Jersey, last December. Police accused Robinson of having marijuana-laced candy in his car, which they said smelled like marijuana.
Robinson will be eligible to participate in preseason practices and games. He can return to the team on Oct. 1.
The Buffalo Bills have signed rookie quarterback Josh Allen to a fouryear contract a day before opening training camp. Though Allen still requires time to develop, he is the team’s heir-apparent starter after Buffalo traded up five spots to select the Wyoming player with the seventh pick in the draft.
Hall of Famer Kelly recovering
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has beaten cancer once again. Kelly’s wife, Jill Kelly, shared the news on Instagram. Her message, in full: “Double thumbs up! ”MRI and CTScans are clear.
“Still working through major pain management, but PRAISE THE LORD, no evidence of cancer.
After two years playing for the Houston Gamblers in the USFL, Kelly played 11 years in the NFL — all with the Bills — before retiring in 1996. During that 11-year span, the Bills reached the playoffs eight times and appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
Giants sign LB Barwin
The New York Giants added a pass rusher on the opening day of training camp, signing veteran linebacker Connor Barwin.
The Giants announced the move Wednesday as veterans reported to training camp at the team’s headquarters adjacent to MetLife Stadium.
Barwin has played in 127 regular-season games with 109 starts for Houston, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams. The 2014 Pro Bowler has also started six playoff games.
Odds and ends
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn have signed three-year contract extensions. They led the team to the playoffs the last two seasons. The deals running through the 2022 season. … The Browns signed rookie cornerback Denzel Ward. Ward was the fourth player taken in this year’s draft and is expected to start.